Untouchable
by writersdream1661
Summary: Dean Winchester and Tessa Lynn were brought together by the supernatural world. She was raised thinking it to all be myths and stories, but he knew it to be very real, and very terrifying. After Dean and Sam Winchester arrive to investigate the mysterious deaths in Tessa's family, her life will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This starts between the season one episodes "Route 666" and "Nightmare."**

**O'Brien, Texas  
Seventeen Years Previously**

The stairs creaked. A small family of three sat around a tiny circular table, eating dinner. Hannah Lynn glanced behind her, then shook her head. It was an old house; there was bound to be some noises. Any time her husband was out late she got this way, nervous and paranoid. Daniel always laughed at Hannah's worries. She would swear that she heard strange things, that furniture would slightly move, windows would unlatch. This only happened when Daniel was gone, though. It was all in her head, he would say. Figments of stress and worry.

Hannah's seven year old son, Tyler, stood up suddenly. "I'm done, Mom, see?" he held up his suspiciously empty plate, and then proceeded to go watch television.

"Nice try, Ty. Empty your pockets," Hannah tried to hide a smile as Tyler, now looking guilty, pulled two handfuls of steamed broccoli out of his pocket. Tyler always tried to find a new way to hide his vegetables, which usually resulted in a lot of extra laundry for Hannah. She held out a hand, averting her eyes as Tyler pulled off his pajama pants and gave them to her.

"Mom, I can't eat food that was in my pocket!" Tyler grinned triumphantly, clearly thinking that he'd won this battle. Hannah, though, smiled sweetly at him.

"Don't worry baby, there's a ton more on the stove," Tyler shuffled into the kitchen, grumbling under his breath. He, with a sour look to his mother, scooped more broccoli onto his plate. Hannah grinned slightly. She looked over at her daughter, Tessa, who was quietly watching the affair, a lilting smile on her four year old face. Noticing her mother's stare, she began eating again, but she still smiled.

"I'll be back down in a minute, alright? Tyler, don't you dare try to hide that broccoli again!" Hannah called, already halfway up the dark staircase. Why the previous owners hadn't installed lights in the stairwell was beyond her; it was an extreme safety hazard. They'd only lived here six weeks and already she'd nearly broken a leg on the stairs.

She sucked in a breath as she reached the second landing. Why the hell was the laundry room on the third floor? Hannah stopped for a moment to catch her breath, leaning up against the wall. She heard the creaking noise again and automatically flinched. The third floor had always somewhat scared Hannah; there was something about it that made it seem dark and dingy. She rolled her eyes at her own silliness. Only children were afraid of the dark. Hannah started up the staircase again, being careful to not trip over her own feet.

The air seemed to grow colder the higher Hannah went. She shived involuntarily. "Get a grip, Hannah," she whispered, shaking her head. She reached the landing, pausing a moment before opening the door to the master bedroom. The laundry room was connected to it, yet another thing Hannah despised about the house. Sometimes, she wondered why she'd let Daniel talk her into this house in the first place. Hannah flinched when her feet came into contact with the ice cold floor. It definitely wasn't her imagination. Hannah frowned at the darkness of the room; she could have sworn she'd left a light on earlier.

"Damn it," she ran her fingers against the wall, fumbling for the lightswitch. She flicked it on. Nothing happened. Hannah turned it several times, hoping that the lights would come miraculously on. Finally, she sighed, resolving to do the laundry in the dark. Hannah was halfway across the room when she heard a faint sound behind her. Foolishly, she called, "Hello?" as if she expected a person to step out of the shadows.

"Damn horror movies." Hannah muttered. She continued into the laundry room, where she found that the lights weren't working either. There must be a wire loose somewhere, she figured. Hannah put Tyler's pants into the washing machine, not noticing the shimmering figure lurking behind her. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise as she stood there. Hannah knew in that instant that she wasn't alone.

"Honey, go back downstairs." Hannah turned around, expecting to see the wide-eyed, innocent face of one of her children behind her. Instead, she was met with a horrifying image: a woman, her head lopsided. Her neck was clearly broken. Dried blood coated her face, and fresh blood was pouring from her nose and eyes.

Hannah screamed, but it was quickly cut off as the figure flew forward, throwing Hannah against the wall. She heard a loud crack as she hit the ground. The woman advanced on her, her blood splattering Hannah as she leaned over her.

"You will pay," the woman whispered. When she opened her mouth, blood poured from the hole, splashing against Hannah. Hannah let out a choking sob, the only thing on her mind was her two children downstairs. This- this monster could easily hurt them.

"Please, please! What do you want?" Hannah sobbed, holding her hands over her face in a desperate attempt to save herself. The woman only smiled, showing blood-stained teeth. She brandished a single piece of rope. Hannah tried to scream as the woman lunged at her, pulling her to her feet. She secured Hannah to the exposed beams of the bedroom ceiling, smiling as she did so. Blood splattered the ground in thick drops.

The last thing Hannah saw before the woman dropped her was her childrens faces. "My babies," she sobbed, moments before her breaths were cut off with a choke. The woman had dropped Hannah, the makeshift noose holding tight. Hannah's eyes bulged, and then she moved no more.

Tyler had heard a loud thump upstairs, and decided to abandon his broccoli to investigate. "Stay here, Tessie," he ordered, and then began climbing the stairs with caution. All was quiet until he reached the second floor landing, where he heard what sounded like his mother's voice. Tyler quickened his pace, moving as fast as his small legs would carry him.

By the time he reached the third floor, all was quiet again. Tyler pushed open the door to his parent's bedroom and screamed. His mother was hanging by her neck from the ceiling. Blood splattered her t-shirt and jeans, and she wasn't moving. After tearing his eyes away from his mother's limp body, he noticed a woman standing in the bathroom doorway. She was also coated in blood, but she was clothed in a black tattered nightgown, and her hair hung in greasy strands. Tyler watched as she seemed to vanish into the air.

"Mommy? Mommy!" He yelled, staring helplessly at his mother. Tyler heard thumps on the stairway, which meant his little sister was on the way up. He hastily turned around and fled the room, meeting Tessa halfway down the stairs.

"Where's Mommy?" She asked, her tiny eyebrows furrowing. Tyler said nothing, but the tears streaming down his face were enough for Tessa not to ask any more questions.

The two children sat in their living room for hours, too shell-shocked to move. Neither went back upstairs to see their mother's gruesome remains. Daniel Lynn arrived home, and after pleas from Tyler he went upstairs to indulge in what he thought to be another child nightmare. Instead, he found his wife hanging by the rafters.


	2. Chapter 2

**2006**

"Dean, look at this, I think I found our next gig!" Sam Winchester called. His older but slightly shorter brother, Dean, entered the hotel room, a towel wrapped around his waist. He was clearly annoyed to have his shower interrupted.

"This better be good, Sam," Dean grumbled, but nevertheless took a seat beside his younger brother. Sam showed him a newspaper clipping from a few towns over. "O'Brien? Is that even a real place?" Dean pulled a face.

"Just read it, okay?" Sam handed him the article.

_**GRUESOME FAMILY SUICIDES**_

___Yesterday evening, Tyler Mason Lynn (24) was found dead in his home. The authorities have ruled his death as a suicide by hanging, but that is not all that is chilling about this case. Exactly seventeen years ago to this day, Hannah Lynn (27) was found dead in the exact room that Tyler was found. She also appeared to have hung herself. What is unusual about these cases is the amount of blood and trauma to the bodies. While authorities have said there is no reason to suspect foul play, some in the small town of O'Brien, Texas, population 105, believe that someone dark and dangerous is lurking in this quiet town. We were unable to contact Tyler's immediate family, sister Tessa and father Daniel, but his uncle was very open to discussing his nephew. When asked about Tyler's personality, Karl Levitt, brother to the late Hannah Lynn, recalls him as a "handsome and happy young man."  
"I never saw that boy frown, even when his momma died. He was such a positive, sweet little boy. He was in law school, he had plans for the future... I don't know what happened. I sure as hell miss him. I guess you don't know what happens inside a person's mind."  
Authorities say that they are "digging into Tyler's background" but at this point to not expect any startling revelations. We will, however, continue to report on this story. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Tyler Lynn during this difficult time._

"This might not be anything supernatural, Sam," Dean said finally, rereading the article. Sam only shook his head and pointed out a few lines.

"It doesn't strike you as... Odd, in any way? A son was found in the same spot his mother died exactly seventeen years after it happened. The cause of death was the same, and we know spirits tend to kill their victims in the same way that they died. It could be our sort of thing," Sam said. He stared at Dean, who was chewing on his lip.

"Or it could just be a boy who had a lot of emotional stuff going on. Not every weird death is our kind of thing," Dean reminded him. He set down the article clipping and walked away, clearly uninterested. Sam sighed and ran a hand through his hair, groaning.

"We'll never know unless we check it out, Dean!" Sam called, but his brother had already closed the bathroom door, returning to his shower. He could hear Dean humming a Led Zeppelin song through the paper thin walls.

"What made you change your mind?" Sam glanced over at his brother, who was sitting in the Impala's passenger seat. After Dean had taken his shower, he came out fully-dressed and told Sam that they were going to O'Brien. So far, Dean had managed to dodge all of Sam's questions. Sam was determined, now, to find out why his brother had such a sudden change of heart.

"I thought it'd be worth checking out," Dean said indifferently, but Sam heard strains of emotion beneath his cool tone. He mulled the case over for a moment, looking for anything in it that could possibly pull this reaction from Dean.

Sam nearly stopped the car when he realized what it was. Of course, it only made sense. "It's about Mom, isn't it?" He asked quietly, shifting his eyes over to his brother. Dean had gone rigid, all color drained from his face.

"Maybe it is, Sam. I don't know why, it wasn't what happened to Mom, but still..." Dean faded out. He silently put on his sunglasses, muttered, "Wake me up when it's my turn" and laid back against the seat. Sam decided to let the subject drop. He quickly turned down Dean's classic rock music and focused on the road. The only sounds to be heard were Dean's quiet snores and the dull steady roar of the Impala's engine.


	3. Chapter 3

**O'Brien, Texas **

"How are you holding up?" Tessa Lynn had heard that question approximately 47 times that day. She'd been counting to keep her brain occupied. What the hell do they expect her to say? "Yeah, I'm super!" She'd lost her mother to suicide when she was five, and now she'd had to find her brother hanging from the third floor bedroom rafters. There is no way to hold up after something like that.

"I'm doing okay, thank you," Tessa said finally, smiling at another nameless relative. As soon as the aunt or cousin or whatever had walked away, Tessa plopped down on a bench, the hot concrete warming her skin. She sighed, staring up at the sun. How could the weather be so perfect today, of all days? Tessa tucked a loose strand of light brown hair behind her ear.

"Hey, sweetheart," Tessa hardly moved as her father sat down beside her. His bloodshot, red eyes mirrored hers. Daniel Lynn said nothing else as he wrapped an arm around Tessa, pulling her close to him. He kissed her forehead, a lone tear running down his cheek. "We're heading over to your uncle Karl's in a little bit, alright? Some family is gathering there. We may spend the night," Tessa nodded, hearing but not really processing her father's words. He sighed and stood up. Almost immediately, he was engaged in a conversation with his cousins.

"Dean, are you really sure we should be doing this? From the looks of it, the funeral just ended. We should give them some time to grieve," Sam tugged at the collar of his suit. It was at least ninety degrees outside, way too hot for a stuffy suit. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck.

"This was your idea, little brother. I'm just carrying it out," Dean muttered. He peered through the crowd of mourners, his brow furrowing. "There he is." Dean led his brother through the crowd.

Sam followed his brother blindly, no idea of who he was looking for. Then, he spotted the preacher just a few feet away. As they drew closer Dean elbowed him, a sign that clearly meant that Sam was to talk.

"Um, excuse me," Sam tapped the pastor's shoulder. He turned around immediately and smiled. "Hi, I'm," Sam faltered. "Uh-"

Dean cut him off quickly. "He's Michael Schon, and I'm Joseph Perry. We went to school with Tyler, and only just heard what happened yesterday. Could you maybe tell us a little bit more about what happened to Tyler?" he conveyed the look of a shocked friend so well that the preacher didn't think to question his flimsy story.

"Oh, it was a terrible thing. Tyler was only twenty-four, as I'm sure you know. His younger sister, little Tessa, found him probably a few hours after he died when she arrived home. She was in an awful state of shock; screaming about a woman in black and blood splattering the walls."

"A woman in black, you said?" Sam said sharply, exchanging a knowing look with Dean.

"Yes," the preacher paused. "I wouldn't put any stock in it, though. When the police arrived they did a thorough search of the place. There wasn't any blood, besides near Tyler, and there was no sign of a forced entry. It was simply a suicide," the preacher smiled sadly before walking away.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Sam said quietly, already scanning the people.

"We need to find Tessa and ask her what the hell she saw," Dean responded. He watched as several children walked by, but none resembled the photo of Tyler that they'd seen. "You're sure she's a child?" Dean said finally, after many minutes of careful people watching. None had even come close to looking like Tyler.

"From the way the pastor talked she seemed to be," Sam said. He then spotted a lone girl sitting on a concrete bench staring off into the distance. She posessed similar features to Tyler, strikingly so. "Or maybe not," Sam casually pointed out the girl to Dean.

"Damn, she's definitely not a child," Dean grinned, fixing his eyes on her.

"Dean! She looks hardly over eighteen!" Dean paid no attention, though, immediately approached her, Sam following in his wake. Sam heard just the end of his introduction, but he caught Tessa's response.

"Aren't those the last names of Journey band members?" Tessa raised an eyebrow, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, are they? Funny. As I was saying, Michael and I were friends of your brother's, I don't know if he ever mentioned-"

"No, he didn't," Tessa interrupted again, staring long and hard at Dean and Sam.

Sam cleared his throat and decided on a different approach. "Listen, Tessa. We know what you said the night your brother died, about the woman and the blood, and we just want to know a little more about it," he said this as gently as he could, but Tessa still flinched slightly.

"Um, I was coming home for the weekend. I'm in school a few towns over, so I don't get to come back very often. I'd just spoken to Tyler a few hours before. He seemed perfectly normal, excited, even. It had been a month or so since I'd been home, and we had plans to watch some movies and catch up," Tessa's voice cracked. She cleared her throat and continued, her tone a bit stronger than before.

"When I got there, Dad was still at work. He's the manager at our supermarket. I poked around a little bit and I noticed Tyler had left food on the stove. So I went upstairs, and- and it was really, really cold. The power seemed to be out on the third floor. So I grabbed a flashlight and then I saw Tyler... Suspended from the rafters by a noose. I don't even know how- how he got up there. Then, I saw this woman, all in black and covered in blood. I must have been hallucinating or something. She... laughed, and then was gone. There was blood everywhere, though, I'm sure of it. I don't know where it all went, though. I swear to God that it was there. The police didn't find it, and I don't know why. I ran downstairs and called the police. But Tyler though, he was never the depressed type. He was the complete opposite, even on my mother's anniversaries. He was always the light one in the family, and now he's gone," Tessa broke down, sobs racking her small body.

Dean, in an uncharacteristic gesture, laid his hand on Tessa's back, rubbing in comforting circles. She didn't shrug him away, but her body tensed. "We're sorry for your loss, Tessa. And I don't think you're crazy, for what you saw. Your brother was a good man, he's going to be missed."

Sam sat silently while Dean consoled Tessa for a few minutes. He noticed a man approaching, and realized it must be Tessa and Tyler's father, Daniel. He turned to get Dean's attention, but he had already noticed. "Um, it's been good to meet you, Tessa. We'll stay in touch okay?" Sam said quickly, before he and Dean walked away, anxious to start on the investigation.

"You know, I heard Daniel say that he and Tessa will be spending the night at a relative's. That means the house will be empty..." Dean began, revving the engine of the Impala.

"Perfect. We'll just need to find a way in."


	4. Chapter 4

"The police did a shit job here, don't you think? No crime tape, nothing," Dean said, peering around the inside of the Lynn house. He and Sam had easily broken in; in their grief the family had forgotten to lock the back door.

"Definitely," Sam agreed. He began making his way up the stairs. Dean followed closely behind, watching for EMF. By the time they'd reached the third landing, the two brothers were almost positive that Hannah and Tyler Lynn's "suicides" had been caused by a ghost. "Which room was it?"

"This one," Dean said, opening the door to the master bedroom. He noticed immediately the dried blood stains on the floor. "Normal hangings don't cause this much blood. Something else was here," Dean bent down and ran his fingers over the bloodstains. They were irregular and large, as if Tyler had put up a fight before he died.

"Look at this, Dean. Tessa was right when she said there were bloodstains on the walls. They're faint, but there's no mistaking it," Sam gestured to the bedroom walls. He began inspecting it again with a flashlight. Dean grunted in response and began checking out the rafters. There were smears of blood here, too. Then, Dean saw it. A bloody hand print, hidden in the shadows. It was much to small to be the handprint of a twenty-four year old, six foot tall man.

"I've got something over here, Sammy," Dean called. Sam immediately joined him.

"It looks like a woman's print. See the size? No guy has hands that little."

"Do you think it could be Tessa? She was the one who found him, she could have tried to get him down," Dean said. He looked over at Sam, who was pondering this.

"No. Tessa said she ran out and called the police. There's no way she did this," Sam said finally. He touched the hand print lightly, and his fingers came away red.

"Whatever did this left this print as a sign. They're not done yet," Dean murmured.

Dean and Sam were so involved in their new discussion that they didn't hear the front door close. Tessa set her bag down on the counter and went to the couch. She'd just made herself comfortable when she heard slight murmurings from upstairs. Tessa froze. It sounded like voices. She padded into the kitchen and grabbed the first weapon she saw: a butter knife. Tessa crept up the stairs slowly until she reached the third landing. The voices were definitely coming from her parents room.

She steeled herself, gripping the butter knife tightly, and threw herself through the door. Tessa barely had time to process the two people kneeling on the floor before one stood. He opened his mouth to speak, but just at that moment Tessa let her knife fly. It soared through the air and embedded itself in the wall, mere inches from the shorter man's head.

"What the hell? Why are you in my house? Get the hell out!" Tessa screamed. She'd thrown her only weapon -and missed- so now she was defenseless against the two men standing in her home. For all she knew they'd killed Tyler and were coming to clean up after themselves. Then, Tessa recognized the two. Michael Schon and Joseph Perry, supposed friends of her brothers. But why were they here? Checking the scene out for themselves?

"Uh, Tessa, we were just-" Sam began, but seeing the seething look on Tessa's face faltered. She was small and looked to be barely an adult, but judging from her aim, she could be deadly.

"I asked why you were here. And no bullshit this time, I know you weren't any of Tyler's friends. If you don't tell me, I swear to God I'll call the police," Tessa said flatly. She began inching towards the door, hoping to beat the two downstairs to her phone. Dean immediately noticed what she was doing. He raised his hands in the air, a smirk on his face.

"Alright, sweetheart. But first- a butter knife?" Tessa made a noise of discontent, seemingly even more agitated than before.

"Tell me, now," she said again, not moving from her place in the doorway. Sam opened his mouth to speak, but one look from Dean silenced him.

"I'm Dean Winchester, and this is my little brother Sam. You're right, we weren't friends of your brother's. We're... Well, detectives, sort of. We're here to investigate the deaths of your mother and brother," Dean searched Tessa's face, but it was completely blank and controlled.

Tessa couldn't believe what she was hearing. Either they were telling the truth, or they were crazy, sociopath liars. She was hoping for the former. Something tugged at her mind, though. Dean had seemed so... Mournful at the funeral, saying that her brother would be missed. Tessa was filled with a white-hot rage. "How dare you! How dare you come to my brother's funeral and feed bullshit to me! Is this some game to you? I want you to leave, now."

Dean looked stunned. After a moment, he regained his composure. "I'm sorry, Tessa. Sammy and I, we lost our mom, too. I was four."

"I was four, too. She... Tyler found her, you know. He was only seven. I hardly remember anything from that night. Tyler wouldn't let me see anything. He hugged me on the couch until dad got home," Tessa had calmed down enormously. She seemed to be lost in her own world. At some point, she had sunk onto the floor, pulling her knees to her chest.

"How old are you?" Dean asked, perking up considerably. Sam elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"I'm twenty-one. Why?" Tessa peered up at Dean. Her eyes were red and swollen, with prominent dark circles underneath them.

"Oh... We thought you were younger, that's all," Dean replied finally.

"Everyone says that. I've always been small for my age. When I was in high school, this one boy that I liked asked me if I'd skipped a few grades, because I looked like I belonged in middle school," Tessa laughed shakily, rubbing at her swollen eyes. "Anyway, you still haven't told me why you suspect anything. I want to help, if I can."

Sam nodded to Dean, who cleared his throat and began telling Tessa the story of their past.


	5. Chapter 5

"Like I said, Sam and I lost our mother twenty two years ago. But it wasn't an accident. She was murdered by a yellow-eyed demon. This sounds crazy, I know. It's all true. Our father has dedicated his life to tracking it and other creatures down. We do the same, we're hunters. Our father went missing a few weeks ago, and we've been searching for him. Along the way we've been hunting down vengeful spirits, wendigo, demons, you name it. We think something supernatural is what killed your mom and brother, Tessa," Dean paused for a moment, an odd softness taking over his face. "Let us help you. Our job is to save people, that's all we're trying to do here."

When he stopped speaking, Tessa realized exactly what Dean was trying to do. He was trying to use damn charm to persuade her to indulge in his craziness. Tessa didn't believe it for a second. Demons and hunters? Ghosts and whatever the hell a wendigo is? He and Sam, if those were even their real names, must have escaped from an insane asylum. "You're crazy," Tessa breathed, backing up. Dean's deep green eyes met hers for a split second, and she immediately regretted her words. Something in his eyes was so raw, so vulnerable that she couldn't help but believe every single honey-drenched word that dripped from his lips.

"Look at this, Tessa. See this hand print? And you were right about the blood on the walls. The police would never had noticed it. We think a spirit is haunting either this house or your family, we aren't sure which one yet. Do you think that you could tell us a little more about your family?" Sam said, settling down on the edge of the bed. Tessa found herself nodding, still trapped in Dean's eyes.

"My dad might come home at any minute now. We're supposed to be staying with my Uncle Karl tonight, but he has to grab a few things before we go. We can talk in my room," Tessa said, taking the dark stairs two at a time. "But no louder than a whisper, okay? I can't, and won't, imagine trying to explain this all to my dad."

Dean and Sam murmured agreements before following Tessa. On the second floor, they took a right in a long hallway and entered a small, brightly lit bedroom. The walls of the room were barely visible, as every single surface was covered with a poster of a classic rock album. From what the two brothers could see, the walls were painted a light blue. Tessa busied herself with opening the two windows of the bedroom while Dean and Sam sat down. Sam chose the only chair in the room, leaving Dean to sit gingerly on the edge of Tessa's bed.

"Shoes off, by the way," Tessa said, glancing over her shoulder. Sam and Dean quickly removed their shoes, muttering apologies under their breath. With a small grin Tessa perched herself on her bed, sitting with her legs crossed. She took a deep breath and smoothed the bubble skirt of her black dress before speaking. "What do you want to know?"

"You're a fan of the classics?" Dean raised an eyebrow and gestured to a poster of a Led Zeppelin album. He hadn't taken Tessa for that sort of girl, but it did explain her immediately catching his use of Steve Perry and Neil Schon's surnames earlier that day.

"My dad raised me on that stuff. I'm guessing you're a fan too, Mr. Perry?" It took Dean a moment to catch the teasing tone of Tessa's voice, but when he did, he couldn't help but grin at her.

Sam cleared his throat. "Anyway, Tessa. Could you start off by telling us about your parents? Where they were born, how they met, that sort of stuff."

Tessa nodded. "Yeah. My mom, Hannah, was born in Austin, but she always loved small town life. When she was sixteen she left home and came here. She basically searched for the tiniest, most unknown town that she could find. Dad was born and raised here in O'Brien. He grew up a few blocks over and has lived here ever since. They met when my mom applied for a job at the supermarket. Dad was assistant manager at the time, and they immediately hit it off. They got married when they turned eighteen. They were a really happy couple, from what people have told me. I don't remember much."

Dean and Sam conferred in low tones for several minutes. Tessa was watching raptly, picking up a few words here and there. "You can't think of anything odd in their past? Something they tried to hide?" Dean asked.

"No. They were the most normal couple in the world. I can't imagine either of them doing something bad. Why? Do you think one of them could have?" Tessa frowned. She scanned her memories for anything that her father may have let slip, but nothing came to surface. Her dad was the perfect father, he couldn't harm a fly.

"Usually a family is haunted by a spirit when they were somehow involved in the person's death, or they did something to anger the spirit while he or she lived. If the spirit is connected to the house, though, we may be dealing with something different. Sam will head over to the library and look through some old records. I'll stay here and watch the place," Dean said, exchanging a glance with his younger brother.

"I think you should salt the room, just in case. We don't know when it's planning on attacking again. I'll call if I find anything out," Sam held out his hand, and Dean dropped a set of car keys into his open palm. With one last grim smile to Tessa, Sam left, letting the back door slam closed behind him.

"What the hell? I just vaccumed!" Tessa yelled, watching with wide eyes as Dean poured salt in front of her door and windows. He turned around and smirked before returning to trashing her bedroom. "Hello? You're the stranger in MY house, standing in MY room. Now, are you going to listen to me or not," Tessa snapped. She grinded her teeth together in frustration.

"It's to keep the ghost out. As long as there's a line of salt blocking the entrances, it can't get in. Now, sweetheart, are you going to move and let me finish my job or not?" Tessa huffed but stepped out of Dean's path. She plopped down on the floor, picking at the worn, tan carpet. Dean glanced at Tessa quickly before settling down inches away from her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tessa watched him. In the moments when he thought he wasn't being watched, his face was drawn, looking as if he'd aged ten years in a matter of seconds. He was attractive, though. Tessa couldn't deny Dean that. His eyes were a gorgeous shade of green, and that body... Tessa blushed. She looked a few seconds to long, and when Dean glanced up, their eyes met. She quickly averted her gaze, instead focusing on the frayed black curtains hanging from her windows, waiting for the color to fade from her cheeks.

After a few minutes of silence, Tessa began fidgeting. The air was thick with her unasked questions, and they were suffocating her. "Dean?"

It took him a moment to respond, and when he did, he sounded weary. "Yeah?"

"Why do you do what you do? I mean, do you enjoy it? Or is it just your life?" Tessa didn't know what had possessed her to ask Dean that; it was way too personal of a thing to tell someone that you'd just met. Unsurprisingly, Dean's face, which had been visibly relaxed, tightened slightly, as did the set of his shoulders, and Tessa knew that she'd lost him.

"It was necessary. I'm going to stay outside, alright? Don't leave this room," Dean said gruffly, and he then stood up and stalked out of the room, closing the door a little too hard behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hi, ma'am, I'm from Texas Tech University, and for one of my classes I have to conduct a study on small town history. I was wondering if I could take a look through your records?" Sam smiled. The older woman didn't even think to inquire what class Sam was doing this for before motioning for Sam to follow her. She led him to a small, slightly mildewy back room and gestured to the piles of dusty boxes. "Thanks," the old woman nodded and shuffled away.

Sam seated himself at one of the few small, rickety tables and pulled the first box towards him. He began thumbing through the files absently before realizing they were in absolutely no order at all. Sam groaned in frustration.

He picked up his phone and hit the first number on speed dial. "Hey Dean? You're going to need to stall the spirit for a while, or something. These records are going to take hours to go through. Apparently investing in a computer and filing system is not a priority for this town. "

Tessa groaned and buried her face in her pillow. Minutes after Dean had abruptly walked out, he'd thrown sticks at her window until she'd opened it up and yelled at him. He'd ordered her to stay in her room and not break the god damn salt lines.

Tessa had spent several hours now pacing the floor, then listening to music, then lying on her bed. It was killing her to be sitting here, doing absolutely nothing, while there was apparently a ghost in her house that might possibly try to kill her. Any slight creak in the stairs made her jump; she couldn't rest. She was worried for her safety, worried for Dean and Sam, but most of all, she was worried for her father. He could arrive home at any second and be completely vulnerable to the ghost. It's not like she could explain this situation to him; he'd throw it off as grief-related delirium and make her go to her uncles.

_Creak._

Tessa froze. She listened, praying that she had imagined the noise, but then again she heard it. The floorboards above her head, on the third floor, creaked, as if someone, or something, was walking. Tessa stood and crept over to the door, careful to not touch the salt. She peered into the hallway, and seeing nothing, stepped out cautiously. She heard the creaking again. It was definitely coming from upstairs.

Tessa considered her options. She could a.) hide in her room, b.) yell for Dean and let him investigate, or c.) check it out herself. Tessa decided on the latter. She crept up the staircase, careful to skip over the squeaky stair three quarters of the way up. At first, everything seemed to be in its place. Then she noticed the lights. The lights were flickering, more and more the closer she got to the bedroom where her mom and brother died. The air grew colder and colder, and Tessa couldn't breathe. She slipped into the bedroom and glanced around. Besides the light and air, everything seemed to be perfectly normal.

"Thank God," Tessa murmured. She sat down on the edge of the bed, too immersed in her own thoughts to notice the door easing closed behind her. When the lock clicked into place, Tessa jerked her head up. She rushed over to the door, but a gust of air threw her back, slamming her against the dresser. Her shoulder screamed with pain as she pulled herself to her feet. She tried to raise the room's single window, but it was locked.

"Damn it!" Tessa screamed. She could feel the spirit in the room, watching, waiting. Tessa turned around, trembling from head-to-toe. She noticed the poker by the fireplace, and remembered what Sam had told her about iron. Just as her fingertips closed around the handle, the ghost woman materialized. Tessa held the poker like a baseball bat, high on her shoulder. The woman disappeared, giving Tessa a split second opportunity. She swung the poker at the window, ducking as shards of glass flew through the air.

"Dean! Dean!" Tessa screamed. Dean had been sitting on the curb, but now he was running towards the house, pulling a pistol from his jacket.

"Damn it! That bitch has the doors bolted! There's something blocking them!" Dean yelled. Tessa felt a pang in her chest. She was locked in, and Dean was locked out.

Suddenly, Tessa had an idea. It was crazy, and dangerous, and might kill her, but it was the only option. "Dean! I'm going to jump, okay? Don't let me break my neck!" Before Dean could reply, Tessa eased herself out of the window. The roof was slanted, but not enough to make her slide down immediately. She scooted to the edge and looked down. Three stories was a long way to fall.

"Be careful, alright? Nice and easy. I'll catch you," Dean held out his arms and squatted. Tessa took a deep, steadying breath and jumped. For a second, she felt as if she was flying, and then she hit Dean's arms, hard.

"Shit!" Tessa screamed. When she landed in Dean's arms, her hurt shoulder rocked, sending a wave of pain up her arm. She then noticed the blood on her arm, running down onto her black dress.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dean was staring at Tessa with concern. She nodded, biting her lip. Dean raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He grabbed Tessa roughly by the arm and dragged her out back, into the treeline. "What the hell happened in there? I thought I told you to stay put!" Dean growled, his faces inches away from Tessa's.

Dean couldn't help but notice how fragile and frail Tessa looked as he shouted at her. She was small and little, probably only a few inches over five foot. Dean knew, though, that inside, Tessa was strong. She'd been through as much hell as he and Sammy had, and that made a person fierce. She hadn't shrank away from his world, but embraced it. She was determined to fight, and he admired that.

"I heard something, so I went upstairs. The lights were flickering, and it was so cold, and I knew that the spirit was there. Then the woman appeared, and she threw me back against the dresser. I grabbed the poker from the fireplace and that seemed to scare her off. I broke the window," Tessa finished. Dean had only half payed attention, but he understood well enough to not press her on it.

"Come on. We need to get you back inside. I'm going to salt the rest of the house. Just do me a favor and stay inside, okay?" Dean dragged Tessa to the front door, but he was careful to not touch her injured arm. The furniture seemed to have moved itself back, and there was no sign of the spirit.

"Are you fucking kidding me Dean? I'm not just going to sit around and wait for this thing to try and kill me," Tessa snapped. She strode up to the door and went inside. Dean sighed.

"Absolutely not," he said in a clipped tone. Tessa whirled around, absolutely livid. Dean wouldn't meet her eyes; he just sidestepped her and began walking up the stairs.

"You're being ridiculous. I thought you weren't scared of this stuff," Tessa raised one dark eyebrow, clearly challenging him.

"Oh, I'm not scared, sweetheart. I just want to do my job without you getting in the way," Dean said coldly, but then he smirked, softening the statement.

"Whatever, Dean. I'm helping you, end of story," Tessa brushed past him, stalking up the staircase, a bag of salt in her hand. Dean only grinned. She was stubborn, that much was clear to him. He realized, though, as he salted the front door, he didn't really mind.


	7. Chapter 7

Tessa was busying herself with finishing up the salt lines in the bathroom while Dean double-checked that they'd covered every entrance into the house. Dean had cleaned up her arm and wrapped it in a bandage from the first-aid kit in her bathroom. It had been over three hours and they still hadn't heard from Sam. Tessa sighed. Right now, she should be with her family, mourning the loss of her brother. But instead she was here fighting off a damn spirit with a guy that she might possibly like- wait, what the hell? Tessa shook her head. She was just tired, that's all.

"Tess? Where are you?" Dean called. Tessa heard the clunks of him mounting the stairs, but she didn't answer. "Thanks for that," he huffed, barreling into the bathroom. Dean looked almost... worried. Tessa shook it off as nothing, though. He was on edge.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Dean. Chill out," Tessa rolled her eyes. Dean just muttered something that Tessa couldn't make out and sat on the edge of the tub. She was then painfully aware of how close they were in the small room. When she sat on the ground, their knees touched.

"As long as no one goes into that bedroom, you'll be fine. I'm going to go back outside, alright?" Dean stood, and before Tessa's brain had time to catch up with her hands, she grabbed his wrist. "What?" Tessa opened and closed her mouth several times, staring at Dean's expectant face.

"Will you stay inside with me? Just in case," Tessa murmured. To her surprise, Dean nodded. He led her out of the cramped bathroom, down the hallway, and into her room.

Tessa's heart was pounding out of her chest as Dean sat down on the middle of her bed, scooting her discarded books and magazines to the opposite end. She sat down beside him, painfully aware of his lips and their proximity to hers. He leaned forward, so close that she could count the few freckles that dotted his face. "What's bothering you?"

"N-nothing," Tessa said shakily. She cleared her throat, but Dean had already begun speaking.

"You're lying, Tess. Your dad's going to be fine," Tessa decided it was best to let Dean think that that was her primary concern, and not the fact that his face was close to hers and she was having very inappropriate thoughts about him.

She managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Dean. Um, do you mind if I turn on some music?" Tessa was grateful when he nodded; she needed a chance to clear her head of his intoxicating scent. She quickly put in the first CD that she could find.

"Journey?" Dean smirked, clearly remembering his fake name from earlier that day. Tessa smiled, sitting down on the bed as Faithfully came on.

_They say that the road ain't no place to start a family_

_right down the line it's been you and me_

_and lovin' a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be_

_oh, girl you stand by me_

_I'm forever yours, faithfully_

Tessa was fully absorbed in the song, and Dean was fully absorbed in her. He watched as she tapped her foot on the bed to the beat of the music, and as she slightly parted her lips as she listened. He'd gotten too close earlier, and in a job like this, being close to anyone would just end in hurt. He couldn't afford it. Dean knew there was something that drew him to Tessa, but he wasn't sure if it was purely physical, or if it was something deeper than that. What the hell? He'd only just met this girl.

"Hello? Earth to Dean?" Tessa was waving her hand in front of Dean's face. He faintly heard the open strains of Don't Stop Believin' in the background, but that didn't matter. All that mattered in that instant was Tessa's lips and touching his to them. He closed the gap between them tentatively, waiting for a response from the girl. Tessa faltered for a moment, and just as Dean was about to pull away, she responded, sliding her arms around his neck. He kissed her softly, almost hesitantly, as if he was scared of breaking her. Tessa gave a slight jolt as one of his hands found her waist. She leaned closer, deepening the kiss.

"Tessie- what the hell?" The door flew open, revealing Daniel Lynn. Tessa let out a little gasp as she moved away from Dean, who looked stunned. Daniel stood in the doorway, his face turning redder and redder as he stared at Dean, who had failed to remove his hand from Tessa's thigh.

"Daddy, listen-" Tessa pleaded, but Daniel held up a hand to silence her.

"Boy, get out of my house right now or I'll call the police!" He roared. Tessa exchanged a helpless glance with Dean. He raised an eyebrow and leaned down to Tessa, on the pretense of picking up his jacket.

"I'll be out back," the slight whisper sent shivers up Tessa's spine. Her father marched Dean out of the house and immediately returned, still seething. Tessa opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to form a coherent thought.

"Who was that? And why the hell is salt all over the damn house?" Daniel said, his voice eerily quiet. Tessa looked up, trying to decipher her father's emotions, but his face betrayed no hint of emotion.

"Dad, listen. The salt thing is kind of difficult to explain, but trust me, okay? And as for the boy, his name is Dean. He went to school with Ty, and he came over to give his condolences," Tessa lied through her teeth, hoping her father couldn't tell.

"Condolences? That's what you're calling it?" Daniel narrowed his dark eyes. The salt lines seemed to have slipped his mind, at least for the moment. Tessa sighed quietly. "I'm going to the bedroom to get a few things packed. I suggest you do the same."

Tessa felt her heart skip a beat. "Daddy, no! Seriously, don't. Please," Tessa grabbed her father's arm, a wild look of panic in her eyes.

"Tessa, quit," Tessa watched helplessly as her father took the stairs two at a time. There was nothing she could say or do without sounding absolutely insane. She waited with baited breath, expecting to hear the sound of her father screaming at any moment.

"Let's go Tessa. Karl's making dinner," her father called, pausing to duck his head into her doorway. Tessa stared; why hadn't the spirit tried to hurt her dad?

"Um, I was thinking about heading to my friend Lily's tonight. I just need a girl's night to get away from everything," Daniel hesitated, thinking about Dean, Tessa was sure. But to her surprise, he nodded finally, pity evident in his eyes.

"Alright, sweetheart. Be careful, I love you Tessie," he kissed her forehead and left the house, locking the door behind him.

"Dean? Hello?" Tessa felt foolish as she stood on the back porch, yelling at the birds. Dean had told her that he'd be out here, but so far she hadn't seen him. She shivered slightly; the temperature had rapidly dropped since night had fallen.

Tessa hugged her satin black gown closer to her body. After her father had left, Tessa had taken a few minutes to change out of her funeral attire and shower. The shower hadn't done much to relax her, honestly. She'd pulled on a white t-shirt and her comfy sweat-shorts, along with her favorite pair of worn black Toms. The robe had been an after thought as she'd pulled her damp hair into a bun.

"I'm here," Dean murmured, appearing in a gap between two large trees. Tessa jumped; his approach had been completely silent. "Tessa, get down!"

Tessa immediately hit the deck, wincing as the wooden planks knocked the breath out of her. She turned her head to the back door and screamed. The spirit was standing there, a noose clutched in her palm.

Dean had taken off running, leaping over Tessa as he simultaneously pointed his salt gun at the spirit. It dissolved into nothing, leaving a dark, empty doorway in its wake. "Your dad must have disturbed one of the lines in the bedroom. You're sure as hell not staying here tonight. Sam and I are going to get a hotel room in the next town over. You'll be safe there."

Tessa nodded mutely, accepting Dean's offer of his hand. She got shakely to her feet, dusting the front of her robe off. "Can I grab some stuff from my room first?" Dean didn't answer, just followed her inside the house. He kept his gun up, though.

"You've got a cut on your head," Dean said, gingerly touching a spot right above Tessa's eyebrow. She raised her own hand, mirroring Dean's actions. Sure enough, her fingers came away sticky and red. "It's bad, but you'll be okay for now. When we get to the hotel I can fix it up."

"Thanks. Okay, I think I've got everything," Tessa had filled a small duffel bag with clothes, photographs, and other precious items. She had the oddest feeling that she wouldn't be coming home for a long time. With that thought her head begin to ache, from sadness or blood loss, she did not know.

"I'm ready, Dean, let's go."


	8. Chapter 8

"Yeah, alright. Okay. See you soon," Dean hung up the phone. He and Tessa were sitting, well, Dean was sitting. Tessa was leaned up against him, clutching her head, on the curb in front of her house, waiting for Sam to come back with the Impala. Sam hadn't found out much from the library; he'd spent most of the time trying to sort through the records. They planned to come back tomorrow and put an end to whatever was haunting Tessa's home.

"How's your head?" Dean asked quietly. The cut was apparently deeper than Dean had originally thought; he'd grabbed a washcloth from her kitchen to stop the bleeding. It was already stained a deep red, and the bleeding hadn't quit. She began feeling more and more lightheaded by the second. Dean was insisting that he could stitch the wound up himself, but still, Tessa was a little weary.

A sudden sound drowned out Tessa's reply. Sam had pulled up to the curb, the Impala's engine a dull roar. Sam immediately got out of the car, moving to help Tessa into the backseat. Dean took over driving, and at some point Tessa drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

"Tessa, we're here. Can you walk?" Tessa nodded sleepily, accepting Sam's offer of his arm. She leaned heavily against him, but she willed her feet to move. She barely noticed when they entered the lobby, or the strange looks that the night manager gave them. It must look odd to the outsider: a girl dressed in a robe, bleeding, a tall guy practically dragging her, and another man, covered in the girl's blood. If she wasn't so hurt she could have laughed.

"Two queens and a sofa bed," Dean said in a clipped tone.

"I'm sorry, sir. All we have left are two doubles. There's a wildlife convention going on a few blocks away, we've been nearly booked solid for this whole week," the elderly night manager smiled timidly. Dean sighed and slammed his card onto the counter. The man handed him a small key.

"Damn, this place is old. No card," Tessa tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. Dean shot her a half grin and led the way to their room. It was old, and smelled faintly musty, but it was better than nothing.

"So... There's a gross couch, so no one's sleeping on that. I guess we flip for it?" Dean said, raising his eyebrows at Sam.

"Maybe after you fix my head?" Tessa snapped, sitting down on one of the beds. She didn't care that her blood was staining the floor; her head was spinning. Dean seemed to just remember that she was there, and reached into his back and pulled out a first aid kit and a bottle of whiskey.

"I don't drink..." Tessa said quietly, looking at the bottle of whiskey as if she was afraid of it.

"Well now you do, sweetheart," he opened the bottle and took a swig from it. Tessa grabbed it and chugged. The alcohol burned her throat on the way down, but it filled her with a warmth that immediately settled her nerves. Dean poured alcohol in the deep cut.

"Damn you, Dean!" Tessa hissed, taking another gulp of whiskey. Dean was completely on threading the needle and did not answer. Tessa kept her eyes closed, making sure her head was completely still. She peeked once, though, and her eyes were drawn to Dean's steadiness. His eyes were calm, and she could feel not even the slightest bit of seemed to be a routine to him: fighting, injury, binding wounds, and then repeating the process all over again.

"All done," Dean breathed, and without another word, he stood up and joined Sam on the filthy couch. Tessa stood up, relieved that she could actually walk without the world spinning. She rinsed the excess blood off of her face and decided that she really needed to sleep.

"I'm going to shower," Sam announced, rising from one of the beds. "Oh, by the way," he turned around. "You're bunking with Dean tonight."

Tessa suppressed a groan. Dean hadn't said one thing about this afternoon. In fact, he was acting like they hadn't kissed at all. The last thing she needed to do was share a small double bed with him.

What the hell? That should be the last thing on her mind right now. Tessa had hardly spared a thought for her big brother today, and now she was obsessing over a man she barely knew. It was an insult to Tyler's memory.

"What's wrong now?" Dean turned and caught Tessa wiping at her eyes, trying to discreetly rid herself of tears.

"I'm fine," Tessa settled herself onto the bed, turning to face the wall. Sam then came out of the shower, sparing her Dean's questioning. She curled into a small ball, willing herself to forget about the past three days of her life. The pain in her head, added with her heartache, made the situation almost unbearable.

"Goodnight, Tessa," Sam muttered. Tessa held up a hand in response, flashing him the peace symbol. Sam turned off the lamps, the only light that of the flickering television in the corner. Dean was completely immersed in a rerun of Friends, letting out a chuckle every few minutes. He was probably waiting for Tessa to fall asleep.

"Dean, if you don't turn that off and go to bed I'm going to kick your ass," Sam mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. Dean muttered a smart ass comment in response. Tessa couldn't make it out, but Sam seemed to understand.

"Jerk," Sam said sleepily.

"Bitch," Dean retorted, but he flicked the television off, basking the room in a sudden darkness. Tessa stiffened as Dean flopped down on the bed, making the box springs squeak loudly.

"Night, Tess," Dean murmured. He was so close to her that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Tessa scooted closer to the edge of the bed. Dean seemed to sense her uneasiness and chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Tessa. I'll behave myself tonight."

Tessa suppressed a sarcastic comeback. Instead, she snapped her foot backwards, kicking Dean right in the shin. He swore under his breath.

"Goodnight, Dean," Tessa murmured, smirking in the dark.

Dean began tossing and turning, trying to make his six foot frame comfortable in the bed. He was careful not to touch Tessa. Every time Dean would move, Tessa jerked awake. She was already on edge, hardly falling into more than a light sleep.

"Dean, just do whatever you need to do to get some damn sleep, alright?" she snapped. Dean didn't respond, he just threw his arm across her waist and moved in closer. Tessa did the same, lying on the edge of the bed wasn't exactly comfortable. She tensed as Dean let out a quiet laugh, his breath hot against her neck.

"I'm not going to bite. Unless that's something you're in to," Tessa suppressed a groan. Maybe she should have let him toss and turn.

Finally, after wiggling out from Dean's arm, Tessa fell asleep to the sound of his light snores. She didn't wake, even when Dean snaked his arm back around her.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm going to the library for a little while. Stay here with Tessa?"

"Sure. Call if you find out anything."

Tessa raised her head groggily, blinking her eyes in the bright morning light streaming in from the grimy window. She caught a glimpse of Dean pulling the door closed behind him. Tessa yawned. She moved some of her thick brown hair out of her face and stretched.

"Morning, Tessa," Sam said, somewhat hesitantly. Tessa supposed that he was expecting her to burst into spontaneous tears at any moment, given how traumatic the past few days had been for her.

"Good morning. I'm starved, do you want to go grab some food? The brochure said something about a 'gourmet' breakfast," Sam nodded. Tessa disentangled herself from the blankets and threw on the first things she found in her bag. Not bothering with makeup, Tessa slid on her worn combat boots and followed Sam out the door.

The gourmet breakfast, it turned out, was a toaster, a pile of staling bread, a pitcher of orange juice, and a few pieces of limp bacon. Tessa made a face as she lifted one of the bacon slices into the air.

"How do people eat this stuff?" she asked in wonder. Sam raised an eyebrow before helping himself to a glass of orange juice. "Oh, yeah, vegetarian. It goes back to when I was a kid. Dad showed me this documentary about cows and chickens raised for slaughter and it screwed with me," Tessa laughed weakly. Talking about her family killed her inside.

"Don't let Dean hear you say that," Sam teased as they walked to a tiny folding table. The chair made a loud scraping noise as Tessa pulled it out, earning a few dirty looks from people around her. She and Sam ate in silence for a few minutes. Well, Sam ate, Tessa picked at her crumbly toast.

"Can-" Tessa was cut off by the blaring of Sam's cell phone. She sighed quietly, restraining from rolling her eyes.

"Yeah. Okay. We'll be there in about half an hour," Sam pulled the phone away from his ear and turned expectantly to Tessa.

"I was going to ask if I could borrow your phone to call my dad... I left mine in the room," without waiting for a reply, Tessa plucked the cell phone from Sam's hand and dialed in the familiar number. It only took two rings for her father to answer.

"Hello?" he sounded groggy, like he'd just woken up. Tessa snuck a glance at Sam's watch; it was 7:30 AM.

"Hey, Dad. It's Tessa, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be staying over at Lily's for a while today. I hope you don't mind," Tessa internally prayed that her father wouldn't put up a fight, or worse, insist that they both go home.

"Where's your phone at, honey?" she froze. Of course her father had caller ID, and he wouldn't recognize the number.

Tessa said the first thing that popped into her mind. "Oh, yeah. I borrowed Lily's. My battery died last night, and I, being me, left my charger at home. What time are you planning on going home, by the way?" she bit her lip hard, willing her shaking voice to steady.

"Okay. I was planning on coming home later this evening. The family all missed you. Stop by if you feel like it, okay? There's no pressure on you, of course. Do whatever you need to," Tessa nearly started crying at the love in her fathers tone. He had no idea of the lies and secrets, and she was terrified that he might someday find out.

"Thanks, I'll definitely think about it," Tessa paused as she exchanged a look with Sam, and although he was smiling, she could tell that he needed her to wrap it up. "Um, I have to go, but I'll call you later. I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Tessie. Stay safe," the line went dead. Tessa shot a small smile at Sam before setting the phone in his waiting hand.

"So where to now?" Tessa popped a piece of toast into her mouth, cringing at the burnt, bitter taste of it. As she watched, Sam finished off his glass of juice and rose.

"That sad excuse of a library. Dean hasn't made much progress; apparently there's some girl working the counter who keeps making eyes at him," Sam rolled his eyes, and Tessa had to agree; Dean would flirt, and eventually sleep with, anything that had boobs.

Back in the hotel room, Tessa began to gather her things. There wasn't much to put up besides her toiletries and dirty clothes. Tessa cringed internally as the blood and dirt encrusted pajamas mixed with the fresh and clean items. She would have to run a load in the washing machine the next chance she got.

"Um, Tessa?" Sam had two large bags slung over his shoulder, and he held something in his right hand-

"Oh my god! I'm sorry... It must've just fallen out of my bag," Tessa awkwardly reclaimed her hot pink bra from Sam and shoved it into the outer pocket of her duffel. Both of their faces were a bright red.

When they began walking down the block to the library, Tessa was grateful for the silence. Sam had thrown their bags in the backseat of the Impala before following Tessa down a street she had known her whole life. O'Brien didn't have much, so if you wanted anything you came here. She had spent many afternoons walking the streets with friends waiting for her dad to finish shopping.

"Hi. We're with him," Sam gestured to the back room where the outline of Dean was just visible. The girl nodded, and Tessa could see why Dean had been unable to concentrate. She was classically pretty; blonde hair, bright blue eyes, perfectly tanned skin... Tessa wanted to shrink away into the corner.

"College's a bitch, isn't it? I'm in my third year. I'm Wendy, by the way. Let me know if I can help you out with anything," the girl, Wendy, flashed Sam a brilliant smile before turning to Tessa. "And you too hon. Are you his little sister?"

"She's a friend of mine. We're both in our second year. Thanks," Sam saved Tessa the embarrassment of responding, leading her to the record room.

Dean began smirking the second he laid eyes on Tessa. "Hey, sis," he teased.

"Asshole," Tessa snapped, feeling her cheeks flush again. She practically radiated embarrassment.

"Anyway," Sam paused, glancing briefly at Tessa before turning away, most likely thinking about the bra incident. "Have you found anything?"

"Not much. The house was built in nineteen-eighteen, so it's possible the spirit could be one of the old owners. Not many people have lived there, though, from what I've seen. Maybe four different families, including Tessa's," Dean took a breath before continuing. "I'm trying to dig up some dirt on the residents now. Nothing has stood out so far."

Tessa tried to stop the bitter disappointment from flooding her body. What Dean had basically said was that they were no closer to finding out what the hell was in her house. She sighed.

"We're on a deadline, you know. My dad's not going to stay at Uncle Karl's forever; I can't stall him with anything else," Tessa didn't mean to sound so harsh, but she couldn't help it. Dean had promised to help her, and so far nothing was happening.

Dean let out an exasperated breath. "You're kidding, right? Maybe you could help and stop being such a little bitch-"

Tessa cut swiftly across him. "You know good and damn well I will do anything I can. And don't you dare speak to me that way again, or we will have a problem." Tessa's voice was icy; Dean didn't even attempt to defend himself.

Sighing, Tessa pulled a box of records at random across the table towards herself. She began flipping through the files. 1976... 1942... 1923... 2004...

It was going to be a long day.


End file.
